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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24411685">Coming Home</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/silvermax/pseuds/silvermax'>silvermax</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Florida Project (2017)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Family, Foster Care</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 05:34:29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,366</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24411685</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/silvermax/pseuds/silvermax</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Moonee goes to see her mother again.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Coming Home</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>So, I got this idea after rewatching this movie last night. I wanted to explore what happened to Moonee after the movie ended.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A young woman walked out of the airport, suitcase in hand. There was a lot on her mind. She hadn't been in Orlando in years, not since that fateful summer. Ever since then, she'd been shuffled from place to place, a new family each time. No time to adjust, or plant roots anywhere.</p><p>Waiting for her taxi to show up, she sat on her suitcase and looked out at everyone. Brightly colored shirts, flip-flops, sunglasses. Tourists looking to enjoy some sun in December. There were lots of families with kids. <em>Here for Disneyworld, probably,</em> she thought. They had all come to experience a different Florida than the one she knew. The Florida she knew was one of budget motels, cigarettes, lost hope, and.... her mother. When she was a little girl, she was her favorite person in the world. But after that summer, once the pain of missing her had subsided, resentment set in. Even before she knew what had happened, she knew that her mother had something to do with why she was in that situation. But still, that didn't make her miss her any less....</p><p>She looked up as a yellow cab pulled up to the curb. "Luna Russo?"</p><p>She nodded and got in. She gave the driver the address, then looked out the window. Watching everything hurtle past her was always the best distraction. "What brings you out here?" asked the driver.</p><p>"I grew up here." That felt like an understatement, as she said it. Here was where she'd gone on countless adventures, whether it was going out to see cows in that meadow or playing in abandoned houses. Where she'd made her first real friends. Scooty, Jancey. It had been years. What had happened to them?</p><p>"Where are you living now?"</p><p>"New York."</p><p>He chuckled. "I've been to New York. It's nice."</p><p>"Yeah, it is."</p><p>They were on the highway now, headed south. Orlando started to spill out into smaller suburbs, neat little rows of houses. She'd lived in houses like those over the years. When she was younger, she would marvel at just how uniform they were. Then they passed by that familiar purple building. The Magic Castle. And it brought her back to that summer. </p><p> </p><p>She remembered the fear and anger she'd felt on finding out she would be sent to live with another family. She kicked and screamed, declaring that she <em>wouldn't </em>go, and they couldn't make her. As the car pulled out, she could see her mother standing by the parking lot, waving goodbye. But when they were almost out of the parking lot, she looked back once again and saw her crying.</p><p>That family in Polk County was pretty nice. The parents had soft voices, and they tucked her into bed that first night. The kids let her play with their toys. But still, she just wanted her mother, and her friends, and everyone she knew and loved. </p><p>In the next ten years, she was taken from family to family. It felt like there was a new one every year, so she learned not to get too attached to her new neighborhood and school. Some treated her like a part of the family, and some just wanted her for the money. But most of them simply treated her as a guest. At first, this hurt her, but as the years went on, she figured she could accept that.</p><p>At sixteen, she was living in Sarasota with the Carsons, an older couple who pretty much let her do what she wanted, and that she did. She stayed out late, got drunk with her new friends. By now, she had a whole new identity. She was no longer Moonee, the little troublemaker in pink sneakers. She was Luna, in makeup and a short skirt, and Hell on wheels. One day in October, her caseworker showed up at the house, stating that her aunt Birdie wanted to take her, permanently. At this, she laughed. Why hadn't this aunt come for her earlier?</p><p>She got on the plane in Tampa wearing a T-shirt and shorts. She remembered that when she met her aunt in the New York airport, Birdie offered her a jacket, but she refused it. At first, she was cold to her, feeling that she shouldn't get attached. But as time went on, she slowly began to warm up to her, seeing how this woman made an effort to love her, even if they hadn't met before. She felt that Birdie allowed her to dream again, for the first time in years. She was the one who suggested she apply to college. </p><p>When she told her she wanted to visit her mother, at first, Birdie sighed and said she didn't know where Halley was. But she was willing to help look her up, though. And when Luna got a break from school, she decided to fly out and see her. And now she was here.</p><p> </p><p>In her motel room, she set down her suitcase and walked out onto the balcony. She looked down and was reminded of the Magic Castle once again. And she wondered if there were people making their homes here, people like her and her mother. </p><p> </p><p>The next day, she went to see her mother, for the first time in years. She and her aunt had found that she was living in an apartment in Orlando. Standing outside the building, she took a deep breath to steady her nerves. <em>I have to do this.</em> </p><p>She knocked on the door to her mother's apartment, wondering if they'd recognize each other after all these years. What would they say? What would happen? Looking at the floor, she could feel her heart racing. <em>Come on....</em></p><p>Halley got up to answer the door, and she couldn't believe her eyes. It was her little Moonee! Even if she was all grown up, she couldn't miss her own daughter. "Baby...."</p><p>"Hey, Mom."</p><p>"Come in, come in."</p><p>The place was small, but cozy. They both sat together on the couch. "Wow, I...." Halley shook her head. "I never thought I'd see you again."</p><p>"Me, neither."</p><p>Not sure what to say, they both sat in silence. Then she asked, "What's happened? Where have you been?"</p><p>Luna sighed. "Lots of places. But.... I've been living with aunt Birdie for the last few years. I'm in college now. At NYU."</p><p>She smiled. "I'm so proud of you, baby." But she could feel herself starting to tear up.</p><p>"Aw, Mom, don't cry."</p><p>But it was no use. Now she was full-on sobbing. "I couldn't watch you grow up."</p><p>"It's okay. I'm here now." She put an arm around her.</p><p>"I know, but it's not the same." She looked up. "I couldn't be a proper mom for you. I couldn't even give us a decent place to live!"</p><p>"Mom. Don't worry about it."</p><p>After a bit, she said, "Moonee."</p><p>She hadn't heard her childhood nickname in <em>years</em>. "Yeah?"</p><p>"I just want you to know that I love you, and I would have done <em>anything </em>for you. And I know I did some things I shouldn't have, and I'm really sorry."</p><p>She remembered asking repeatedly why she wasn't allowed to see her mother, and her caseworker finally telling her what had happened that summer.  She could feel herself starting to cry, too. "It's okay. Really."</p><p>They held each other and cried. Moonee realized how much she'd missed her mother's arms. "I love you, Mom."</p><p>"I love you, too."</p><p>"And I always thought you were the best mom ever."</p><p>They parted and wiped their eyes. "I know I can't make up for all the lost time, but I want to start being your mom again."</p><p>"You've always <em>been </em>my mom."</p><p>"No, but for real this time." She smiled and kissed her daughter's forehead.</p><p>Moonee chuckled a little, and for a while, they just sat. Then she broke the silence by saying, "You know, Mom, maybe one of these days, I can take the both of us to Disneyworld."</p><p>"That would be great."</p><p>"Yeah, I already can't wait." A little grin spread across her face, and Halley thought she saw traces of the little troublemaker she once knew. <em>That's my girl. </em></p>
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